Hinge for doors



July 16, 1940. D. c. E. LEONARD HINGE FOR DOORS Filed May 29, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheety l "'19 mm HRWN w v www July 16, 1940. DCELEONARD 2,208,310'

HINGE FOR DOORS Filed May 29, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 @l f 72 QZ;

July i6, 1940. D, c. E. LEONARD 2,208,510

HINGE FOR DOORS` Filed May 29, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 SWW,

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HINGE FOR DOORS Filed May 29, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented July 16, 1940 vUNITED STATES 2,208,310 HINGE Foa nooRs David C. E. Leonard, Hagerstown, Md., assigner to Jamison Cold Storage vDoorl Company, C y Hagerstown, Md., a corporation of Maryland.

Application May 29, 1939, Seriallflolnz'ldflih; 11 claims. (o1. 1ct-153i K 'I'he present invention relates to new and useful improvements in a door mounting, and more particularly to improvements in a hinge assembly for a door, which is adapted to make tight seal- "i ing contact with the door frame entirely around the door opening therethrough.

A door of this type is generally employed for" closing an opening to a chamber which is to be normal atmospherictemperature, such as for in stance, a cold storage or refrigerator chamber, a heated chamber, or even a chamber which is to be maintained at a moderate variation in pres- The door may be of any suitable type, as for instance, an intertting or overlapping type, for closing the opening in the door frame and sealing strips or gaskets are provided for com`- pression between the door frame and the door whereby to establish a tight seal when thedoor is closed. The door is hingedly mounted on the door frame for swinging movement. Although the door may be used in various instances, as pointed out above, the invention isI particularly concerned with the provision of a hinge assembly for use on refrigerator doors of the type which swing about vertically disposed hinges. An object of .the invention is to provide a door hinge assembly which permits the door to make tight sealing Contact with the door frame even when' an obstruction, such as ice, forms on the line of contactlbetween the door frame and the door.

means can be adjusted to compensate for wear of the sealing gasket between the door frame and the door.

The invention still further aims to provide hinge assembly of the above type which includes cam means for elevating the door at least during itsinitialopening movement, the cam means be- A further object of the invention is to provide aA hinge assembly` of the above type which is adapted to compensate for wear on the sealing strip or gasket so that the door will make coning constructed so thatfit will Ynormally effect. snai closing` of the dooriiand Sb martire weight of the door normallytends to effecta tight seal: between the door and the door frame when the door is in a position for closing the` door opening."

The above and other Vobjects o f the invention will in `part 'be obvious and more fully pointed out.

In the acco A'panying`drawings,f Figure lis' a fragmentary side elevation showr ing the hinge assembly with the door closed against the door frame.`

Figure2 is an enlargedsectionalviewtaken along the lineZ-fZ o` f lf'figure 1.

Figure 3`is an enlargedsectional Vview taken along the lined-3 of Figure 1. f

Figure 4 is asectinal view, similar to Figure 3, but showing the hingejassembly with the door in anopen position. l A

Figure 5 is atop plan' view of the hinge link which'is pivotallymounted on the door frame. d

Figure 6 is a side elevation'of Figure showing the position of ,the cam receiving slot in `the hingelink-y j L Figure 'Il i s `a fra`g`mentary top plan view of the bracketwhichis secured to the door frame:

Figure 8 is a side elevation of Figure 7l Figure'il` is a top fplan `view of the lower cam mmber LFigure 10 isasideelevation of Figure 9.

Figurerll isabottom planr view of one end ofl the hinge ymemberwhich` is secured tothe door.

Figure'lZ i s 'aside elevation of Figure 11. `ltei'erri'ng more in detail tothe accompanying drawings, one form of theinvention is shown for fwill be hereinafter purposes of illustration and the refrigerator doorD is illustrated `as being of the type which ts within thedoonopening denedby the door frame The door includes a front panel T0 which-is provided with a" laterally extending peripheral flange Illa which is adaptedto overlie the edge of the door frarne. The door is of the typewh'ich includes va suitable insulating ma-4 terial I I and similarly,v the wall around the frame Fis of the type whichlincludes a suitable f orm of insulating material l2. `A hinge member H is secured to Vtheiront panel lll lof the door by means f screws`l3 orth'e like. O ne end of the hinge member lextends laterally beyond the edge Illa. of the front panel In. "A hinge link L has` one end thereof pivotally mounted on a' pivot' bolt P which is carriedby a supporting bracketm B secured to the door frame. `The hinge link L is also pvotally connected intermediate the ends thereof with the" hinge member H by means of a oating pivot pin p which is disposed within the extended end of the hinge member H. A

coil spring I4 is disposed between the opposite end of the hinge link L and the hinge member H 5 for normally separating the same. An adjustc able bolt I5 extends through the rhinge member H, the coil spring I4, and the hinge link L. A sealing gasket I6 is disposed between the flange Ia on the door D and the edge of the door lo frame F. This sealing' gasket is adapted to be compressed between the overlying edge Ilia of the door and the door frame when the door is closedr for eifecting a tight seal. Itis obvious that the sealing gasket I6 may be carried either by the l5 door or by the frame.

The supporting bracket B includes a base portion having extended portions I1 which are secured tothe frame F by bolts 4I8 or the like. "The extended portions kI'I are spaced from one another a distance greater than the width of the hinge member H and, in the region of these extended portions, the supporting bracket B is provided with spaced parallel lupstanding lugs I9, I9a which are apertured to receive the pivot f bolt P.

coil spring I 4 is disposed. The ,body portion Z of the hinge link is provided over a substantial portion thereof with spaced upstanding longitudinally extending ribs 22, 22u which are apertured at the inner ends thereof to receive the pivot pin 10. The outer or opposite ends of the ribs 22, 22a are aperturedy vto receive the pivot bolt P and these apertures are inalignment with outwardly offset apertured lugs 23, 23a which are formed integrally with the body porti`on 20 loof thehinge link. When the doorfis c1osedthe -lugs 23, 23o'l on the hinge link are Veach spaced inwardly from the lugs I9, I9@ on Vthe supporting bracket B.

The hinge member H is, as pointed out above,

II-secured to the door D, but one end thereof is extended laterally of the door. This extended end of the hinge member is .provided with a tongue portion 24 which is `disposed within the lugs 23, 23a on the hinge link, and the end of ;;this tongue portion is curved .toward the rsupporting bracket, as at 24a, to overlie the pivot bolt P. Within the free end of the tongue portion 24, the hinge member 'is provided zwith depending lugs 25, 25a which are positioned so as lill-'to `be disposed outside of the inner ends of the ribs 22, 22a on the hinge link. These lugs 25, -25a are provided with apertures in alignment with the .apertured inner ends of the ribs 22, 22a so that. the pivot pin p extends therethrough. The

aghinge member is provided withan aperture 26 through which the bolt I5 extends and also with strengthening ribs 21.

The lower lug I9 on the supporting bracket` B is v,provided in the upper face thereof with a slot 428 rextending parallel to the door frame. A cam 4member 29 is provided with a depending rib 30 which is adapted to t snugly within the slot 28 in the lug I9 on the supporting bracket and to be mounted in this position. This-cam member is tqapertured so that the pivot bolt P will extend therethrough and vis provided with an elevated portion 3| which merges into a lower portion 33` through two inclined convex cam surfaces 32.

The lower outwardly offset lug 23 on the hinge linkL is provided in the under facethereof .with

a slot 34 which is inclined with respect to the plane of the body portion 20 of the hinge link and is inclined downwardly toward the boss 2| Thus, the slot 34 is inclined with respect to the slot 28 in the lug I9. There is provided an additional cam member 29a which is similar to the cam member 29.' This cam member 29a is provided with an upstanding rib 39a which is adapted to 't snugly within the slot 34 in the lug 23 on the hinge link, Thus, the cam member 23a is reversed with respect to the cam member 29. The cam member 29a is provided with an elevated kportion 3Ia and with a lower portion 33a 'which merge together through two inclined l concave surfaces 32a. The cam members 29, 29a are thus shaped so that in one position they will door frame when the door is closed in a man-` ner to be hereinafter more fullypointed out.

From the foregoing description it will be seen,

that the door is mounted for normal pivotal swinging movement on the pivot bolt P. Thus,

the hinge link L is pivotally mounted on the bolt P and the hinge member H is pivotally connected to the link L intermediate the ends there,-l of by means of the pivot pin p. The bolt I5` connects the hinge member H and the dlink L and limits movement of these parts away from one another. The coil spring I4 acts at substantially right angles to the plane of the door D and, underA normal operation, limits movement of the hinge member H and the linkL toward one other. Under normal operation, therefore, the door and hinge assembly swings about the pivot bolt P.

When the door is closed, as shown in Figures 1, N2 and 3, the sealingA gasket I6 is compressed between the edge Ia of the door and the door frame so as to effect a tight seal around the door opening. In this closed position of the door, the cam members 29, 29a do not exactly coincide in intertting relationship. As shown in Figure 6, therslot y34 in which the upper and downwardly facing cam 29a, is mounted, is inclined slightly so that it is not in exact alignment with the slot 28 in the lug I9 on the supporting bracket. Thus, when the door is closed, the elevated face 3| on the cam 29 is spaced from the' lower portion 33a on the cam 29a and similarly, the lower portion 33 on the cam 29 is. spaced from the elevated portion 3Ia on theV cam 29a. In this position of the cam members the inclined surfaces 32, 32a areA in engagement so that the weightv of the door acting downwardly tends to cause rotation of the door with the cam 29a toward a position in which it would coincide exactly with the cam 29. Thus, .the weight lof the door acting on the cam members, even when closed, constantly tends to more tightly shut the door so as to compress the sealing gasket and effect a tight seal around the` door opening.

In opening the door, initial movement thereof will cause the cam 29a to ride up the inclined surface 32 on the cam 29 so that the entire door is elevatedV the distance between the lower portion 33 `and the elevated portion 3| on the cam 29. For this purpose, the apertured lug 23a on the hinge `link is spaced a sucient distance from the upper lug |I on the supporting bracketvB. This is clearlyshown in Figure 3. In Figure 4, the position ofthe various' parts of the hinge assembly is shownwhenthe door is open. Thus, the elevated surfaces 3|, 3Ia of the cams 29, 29a, respectively, are in engagement and the lower surfaces 33, 33a are widelyv separated so that the entire doory is elevated during its opening movement in order to clear a sill or to break any ice formations which may have formed while the door was closed. The elevation of the door by the canimeans may continue during opening of the door for approximately 75 degrees, after which the door remains in this elevated position through the rest of its swing# ing movement.

In closing the door, the hinge parts will assume the position of Figure 3. However, obstructions, such as ice formations, often occur around the door frame. Thus, if obstructions form so as to limit closing movement of the edge of the door adjacent the hinge mounting therefor, the opposite edge of thedoor will not normally shut tightly. In order to overcome this diiiiculty, the present invention provides a hinge construction wherein the remote edge of the door can be moved to a tightly closed position. This movement of the door is permitted by a slight relative movement of the hinge member H about the pivot pin p and against the action of the coil spring I4. Thus, relative movement be tween the hinge link L andthe hinge member H is permitted by the spring for this purpose. Similarly, if the gasket lr6 atlthe edge adjacent the hinge mounting for the door becomes worn so that a tight seal is not normally" effected at this point, the bolt I5 can be adjusted so as to permit a slight separation between the hinge sealing contact with the door frame entirely around the door opening under all circumstances. To this end, the hinge assembly includes a plurality of parts which may be shifted relative to one another for the above purposes. Furthergmore, the cam means for elevating the door,

when it is being opened, is constructed so that the weight of the door tends to maintain the same closed and tightly sealed against the door frame. Thus, the cam members are arranged so that when the doorfis moved toward a closed position the cam members cooperate to urge the door to its finally closed position, thus, obviating the necessity of pushing or pulling the door to a tightly closed position.

While one form of the invention has been shown for purposes of illustration, it is to be clearly understood that various changes in the details of construction and arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claimt 1. A hinge for doors adapted to close and seal an opening through a door frame, comprising a bracket secured to the door frame, a hinge member secured to the door, a link pivoted at one end to said bracket and pivotally connected intermediate the ends thereof to said hinge member for supporting the door, and spring means interposed between the opposite end of said link and said hinge member for normally separating the same.

2. A hinge for doors adapted to close and seal an opening through a door frame, comprising a bracket secured to the door frame, a hinge member secured to the door, a link pivotally connected at one end thereof to said bracket and pivotally connected intermediate the ends thereof to said hinge member for supporting the door, and spring means disposed between the opposite end of said link and said hinge member and extending at right angles to the plane of the door for normally separating said hinge member and the said opposite end of said link.

3. A hinge for doors adapted to close and seal an opening through a door frame, comprisinga bracket secured to the door frame, a hinge member secured to the door, a link pivotally connected at one end thereof to said bracket and pivotally connected intermediate the ends thereof to said hinge member for supporting the door, spring means for normally separating said hinge member and the opposite end of said link, and cam means associated with said link and with said bracket for utilizing the weight of the door to maintain a tight seal between the door frame and the door when the door opening is closed.

4. A hinge for doors adapted to close and seal an opening through a door frame, comprising a bracket secured to the door frame, a hinge member secured to the door, a link pivotally connected at one end thereof to said bracket and pivotally connected intermediate the ends thereof to said hinge member for supporting the door, spring means for normally separating said hinge member and the opposite end of said link, and cam means associated with said link and with said bracket for effecting a slight elevation of the door when opened.

5. A hinge for doors adapted to close and seal an opening through a door frame, comprising a` bracket secured to the door frame and having a cam surface thereon, a hinge member secured to the door, a link pivotally connected at one end thereof to said bracket and pivotally connected intermediate the ends thereof to said hinge member for supporting the door, spring means for normally separating said hinge member and the opposite end of said link, and a cam member associatedwith saidlink and movable therewith for cooperation with the cam surface on said bracket, said .cam member and said cam surface being disposed relative to one another for causing the weight of the door when closed to maintain the door tightly sealed against the door frame.

6. A hinge for doors adapted to close and seal an opening through a door frame, comprising a bracket secured to the door frame, a hinge member secured to the door and having an apertured lug disposed outside of the edge of the door, a hinge link pivotally connected at one end thereof to said bracket and having an upstanding portion provided with an aperture in alignment with the aperture in said lug, a pivot pin connecting said upstanding portion with said lug, and spring means disposed between the opposite end of said hinge link and said hinge member for normally separating the same and for permitting relative movement therebetween whereby the door will make tight sealing contact with the door frame.

7. A hinge for doors adapted to seal and close an opening in a door frame, comprising a bracket secured to the door frame, a hinge member sedisposed outside of the edge of the door, a hinge` link pivotall'y.- connected. l intermediate the. ends thereof to .saidilug `and having one end thereof pivotally Vconnected `to saidy bracket', a. coil'spring between-theopposite end Iof said link and said' hinge Vmember and disposed at substantially right-angles to theplane of the door for normally. separating the'isaid Oppositeend of said link andv said hinge member, land a bolt extending through; said coil spring `for limiting separation'of said hingek member and said link, said bolt being adjustable to permit further separation of said hinge membergand said link whereby to compensate vfor Wear between the'adjacent edgesof. the door and thedoor frame. v

8.fA hinge for doors adapted to close and;seal an openingy .through a door frame, comprising a bracketvr secured to the door frame, a Yhinge member secured tothe door and extending laterally beyond'the edge thereof, a hinge link having `an-upstanding rib provided `with ya pair of apertures spacedilongitudinally thereof, anout- Wardly oisetlug on said link providedwith an aperture in line with the. aperture at one end of said rib, a pivot bolt secured to said bracketand extending rthrough the aligned apertures in said lug and said rib, a oating pivot pin extending throughi'the aperture at the opposite end of said rib and connected to said hinge member, a' coil spring disposed between the opposite end of said link and said hinge member for normallyy separating vthe same, and a bolt extendingthrough said-coil spring for limiting separation of said hinge member and said link, said bolt being adjustable for permitting further separation ofiA said hinge member andy said link to compensatey for Wear vbetween the adjacent edges of thedoor and the door frame.

, 9. A hinge for doors adapted to close and seal an opening in a` door frame, comprising a bracket secured to the door frame and having an -outwardly extending lug, a stationary cam surface carried by said lug, a hinge member secured to the door, a hinge link pivotally connected intermediate the ends thereof to said hinge member and pivotally connected at one end thereof to said bracket, and a cam member movable with said hinge link upon opening and closing of the door and cooperating with said cam surface for cured to thefg door and having an; aperturled lug;

eiecting' elevationfof `the dooriwhen opened, said cam member. and saidmcamsurface being dis-l` posed yrelative to one another `so-that the Weight of the door when closed is utilized to force the door-.into tightv sealing ,contact Withv the door 10-.- A hinge yfor doors adapted to close and seal an opening in a door rameVCOrnpriSing a bracket secured to the door frame and having an out- Wardly extending apertured lug, a pivot bolt extendingifvertically through said lug, means pro'- `vidingl a stationary-cam surface -onsaid lug, a

hinge memberV `secured .to -thedoor, a hinge link pivotally connected intermediate the ends thereof with ,said hinge member and pivotally` connected vat one end thereof to said bolt, and a cam` 11. A hinge for-doors; adapted to close and sealv an opening ina door frame; comprising a bracket secured to thezdoor framev and having an outwardly extending lug-provided with a slot parallel tothe door frame, ac cam member having a depending `rib tting -Within the slot in said lug,

a hinge member secured to the door,` a hinge link pivotally connected intermediate the ends thereofto said hinge member and pivotally connected at one end thereof t'o said bracket, said hinge Alink having an oiset .lug disposed above the lug on said bracket and. provided with a `slot inclined Withrrespect tothe slot in the lug on said bracket, and-a movable cam member having a rib tting within the slot-in the lug onisaid hinge link and movable with said hingelink upon opening and closing of the 'door for cooperation with the cam memberon thebracket for 'effecting elevation of the vdoorvvhen opened, `the inclined cam receivingslot in the lug on said'hinge link serving to position 'the cam members relative to one'another so that lthe weight of :the door when closed is utilized to force the doo1 intotight sealing' contact With the door frame.

DAVID C. E. LEONARD.

Vno 

